The use of computer systems and computer-related technologies continues to increase at a rapid pace. This increased use of computer systems has influenced the advances made to computer-related technologies. Indeed, computer systems have increasingly become an integral part of the business world and the activities of individual consumers. Computer systems may be used to carry out several business, industry, and academic endeavors. The wide-spread use of computers has been accelerated by the increased use of computer networks, including the Internet. Many businesses use one or more computer networks to communicate and share data between the various computers connected to the networks. The productivity and efficiency of employees often requires human and computer interaction.
The need for reliable security techniques to secure data stored within a computer system has also increased dramatically. Malicious software has been developed to infiltrate and avoid these security techniques. This malicious software (commonly known as “malware”) may be designed to cause harm or data loss. For example, some malware has been designed to destroy files on a hard disk, or to corrupt the file system of a computer by writing invalid data. Malware has also been designed for profit-driven motives. For example, some malware is designed to take control of a users' computer. Malware may also be designed to monitor users' web browsing, display unsolicited advertisements, etc.
The creators of these various forms of malware desire the malware to remain undetected by the security techniques implemented by a computer system. Malware designers may attempt to hide or bury the malware in applications or functions on the computer system that remain unchecked by the security techniques. As shown by the above discussion, benefits may be realized by providing improved systems and methods for preventing threats originating from a malware component that is hosted by a trusted process that is not monitored by the security techniques implemented by the computer system.